OCSOA Keynote Address

In his book, In the Name of Jesus, Henri Nouwen posed a primary question in regards to ministry and leadership: ‘Are the leaders of the future truly men and women of God, people with an ardent desire to dwell in God’s presence, to listen to God’s voice, to look at God’s beauty, to touch God’s incarnate Word, and to taste fully God’s infinite goodness?’

If we, as educators, are to go after the ones who are lost, then WE must be willing to be lead to those places we would rather not go. This requires a movement from the moral to the mystical; focused on God’s saving grace in the midst of the burning issues of our day

Together we will explore the role of failure; the challenge of acceptance and gratitude; and the difficulties of expectations as the four “secrets” of the spiritual life. These secrets are not so because they are unknown to us; rather, that as leaders they prevent us from successfully managing the movements Nouwen identifies and Jesus demands.

CLICK HERE for the Readings for the Fifth Friday of Lent: (Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10.31-42)